Finals can be such an overwhelming time and often very stressful. A lot of college students go in panic mode before finals and often cram their studying. It can be difficult to find tactics that can help you remain calm. They key when taking an exam is to go in feeling confident! Below are ways from one college student to another that can help you succeed and remain calm during that stressful finals' week!
1. Prepare in advance
Preparing in advance is key to helping you remain calm during finals week. This will help you better understand the information by breaking your studying down at different times. Finding out what information is on the exam in advance is also helpful to ensure that you are studying the right information.
Try getting your research and notes organized and together ahead of time so that you can get your studying done right away. Also, planning study tactics early on before exams will help you get the most out of your studying and will help you remain calm!
2. Go in with a positive mindset
Going into the exam with positive thinking can help you drastically. Being positive can help you feel more confident in your skills and can help you perform well.
It is important to not go in thinking the worst, because it will cause you to stress and you may actually perform worse. Try making encouraging sticky notes to read before your exams to help you go in feeling optimistic.
3. Get a good night's sleep
Getting a good night's sleep is imperative when heading into finals week. Being tired and drowsy can block your thinking and can have a negative impact on your performance.
Getting a good night’s sleep will allow you to have a clear mind and you will be able to remember much more of the information. Pulling an all nighter and cramming before an exam is never a good idea because you likely won’t be able to remember the information on the test.
4. Stay off electronics
Unplugging from electronics before your exams can help calm your mind down and put you at ease.
It is important to give your mind a break since taking the exam will take a lot of brand energy. Even unplugging for a couple minutes before an exam can help you recharge and feel refreshed before your exams.
5. Exercise
It can be hard to balance your time the week of finals, but make sure you are giving yourself some time to focus on you. Working out is a great way to do this. Exercise can help take your mind off your exams and help you recharge to keep studying. It is great to do as a study break to help you feel energized and relaxed!
6. Have caffeine but not too much
Caffeine is great and can help you stay alert and focused. Although, too much caffeine can cause stress and anxiety which only makes your mindset worse. During finals week, try limiting yourself to one or two coffees a day to avoid getting too worked up. Try eating healthy foods to calm your nerves and make your body feel refreshed!
7. Treat yourself
Finals week can be dreadful and can often put you in a bad mood. Allowing yourself to have little treats throughout the week can help lift up your spirits and encourage you to keep studying and doing your best! Rewarding yourself is always a good idea because finals are not easy and stressing about them constantly can only make you feel worse.
Finals week can be a stressful time but it is important to go in with a good mindset and remain positive! All of your hard work will pay off; there is no need to stress. Thanks for reading, and I hope these tactics can help you during your next finals week.
